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According to the old adage, “We are what we eat,” nutrition is everything. In fact, many health scientists study human hair to determine how healthy people are. That’s because human hair grows quickly and provides a map of every vitamin, mineral and nutrient the person has consumed (and it shows what the person is lacking).

So if our hair represents exactly what we eat, what does that say about the rest of our bodies? The human body depends upon nutrition in order to survive. What we put in our mouths determines how much energy we will have, how we will feel throughout the day, how happy we are, and even how long we will live.

To eat a nutritious, balanced diet, health experts recommend eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. High fat foods and red meat lead to high cholesterol, obesity and heart disease, and should be eaten in moderation. At the same time, eating a variety of different types of fruits and vegetables is important as well, because each different type contains different nutrients. The more variety our bodies receive, the more healthy we are.

Although there are many food fads and diet trends, the best advice any health expert can give is to listen to your body. If you are depressed, sick, lethargic and can’t concentrate, you probably aren’t getting the nutrition you need. Start by examining what you eat each day, and throw out anything that doesn’t have nutritive value. Add fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and drink plenty of water to wash toxins out of your body. Soon, your body will appreciate being given the proper nutrition, and you will notice the difference.

Whether you’re the next NBA superstar or a weekend fishing enthusiast, sports nutrition is essential. Your body needs nutrition for strength, energy, recovery, and protection from the elements. It doesn’t matter whether you’re slam-dunking your way to sports history or casting off the shores of a quiet lake. What you feed your body is important.

While carbohydrates and fats give your body fuel, protein helps you build muscle. But getting too much of any one type of food can backfire; your body needs a variety of different types of foods to get the sports nutrition it needs. Your nutrition comes from a variety of different color fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and grains. Everything else should be eaten in moderation, including meat, desserts and starchy foods.

Good sports nutrition means getting a balanced diet that gives you energy, stamina, and protection from injury and illness. While every type of vitamin and mineral plays an important role in your health and athletic ability, here are some nutrients you don’t want to miss:

• Iron to carry oxygen through the body
• Zinc to support a healthy immune system
• B12 for healthy nerve and blood cells
• Protein to build, support and rebuild muscle
• Carbohydrates for energy and to build muscle
• Antioxidants to prevent disease and aging

And finally, don’t forget water. It is essential that you drink plenty of water to flush the toxins out of your system. Water also provides energy and keeps your organs functioning properly.

What are the best ways to improve your health? It is important to know what you can do to improve your health and fight illness, injury and aging. Every year, millions of Americans die early from diseases that can be prevented, or at least managed. These include heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure.

The first, and most important, way to improve your health is to quit smoking. Millions of American continue to smoke even though it shortens their life expectancy and leads to emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease and death. If you aren’t a smoker, make sure you avoid secondhand smoke as much as you can. Secondhand smoke poses a serious threat to your health.

The second thing to do to improve your health is start eating right. This includes eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, fish and some meat. Choose organic foods when you can in order to avoid harmful pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, growth hormones and genetic modification, all of which are very harmful to your health.

Third, exercise! It is so important and so easy, yet millions of people fail to get enough exercise every day. It doesn’t take a lot; just consider walking an extra block in the morning, riding your bike to work, or playing with your children for an hour after work. Whenever you can fit a few minutes of exercise in each day, your body will thank you for it and your health will improve.

Finally, smile. Experts say that smiling even when you feel sad will boost your spirits, your immune system, and your mental health considerably. So, next time you’re feeling down, try smiling for a few minutes. See what happens.