LUDOVICA PELLIN

A correct and balanced nutrition is necessary to feel

well and healthy, and stronger than stress, soreness
and diseases.
Our nutrition necessities varies based on biological
factors (age, gender, body structure, physical
activity…) as well as different physiological
situations (growing and developing, pregnancy,
aging, stress…). Therefore, a standard nutrition
that works for everybody anytime doesn’t exist.
How a balanced nutrition
should be?

COMPLETE
rich of all the nutritious substances
that our body needs to stay healthy and to
approach our daily activities
Nutrients are divided in macronutrients and
micronutrients, based on how many our body
requires. Foods usually have all nutrients in them,
but in different quantities. Therefore, foods in a
diet have different responses to what our body
needs to conduct the functions that are necessary
to live. CARBOHYDRATES
LIPIDS MACRONUTRIENTS

NUTRIENTS PROTEINS

VITAMINS
MICRONUTRIENTS
MINERAL SALTS
The functions of our body:
- Plastic function: making tissues and
organs, allowing growing and
developing. All macronutrients are
required, specifically proteins and
mineral salts.
- Energetic function: producing heat,
work and other energy forms. Lipids,
carbohydrates, (and proteins in
emergency cases) conduct this function.
- Regulation function: it’s about
metabolic reactions. Vitamins and
mineral salts do this function.
 CARBOHYDRATES
Monosaccharides are simple sugars.
They are a chain of 3-7 carbon atoms. One of the carbon
atoms has a carbonyl group C = O; the others have the
hydroxyl group.
Monosaccharides bind through glycosidic bonds –OH
through a condensation reaction.
 CARBOHYDRATES

• Monosaccharides
(fructose, lactose, sucrose)
can be found in fruits, milk,
refined sugar, honey, and
sweet foods; they don’t need to
be digested to be absorbed
because they go directly in our
blood circuit.
 CARBOHYDRATES
• Polysaccharides
are found in cereals, cereals
flours and derived products
(rice, barley, flours, pasta,
bread, baked products, and
starch based foods), potatoes
and legumes; they need to be
digested before being absorbed;
they have high values of
essential nutrients, such as
vitamins and mineral salts and,
if whole wheat, they also have a
high quantity of fibres.
 CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are important because they are absorbed and
used by our body very easily without producing metabolic
waste; ensuring cells an adequate refueling of glucose, and so
energy.
Starch and other polysaccharides require not a so little
digestive work to be transformed in glucose, therefore they’re
absorbed more slowly. On the other hand, simple sugars are
digested and absorbed easily.
Consequently, when simple and complex carbohydrates
are eaten together in the right proportions, energy is
ensured to our body constantly and for a long period of
time, to avoid variations in the glucose rate in our blood
(glycemia).
 DIETARY FIBER
Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that doesn’t
give nutrition or energy, but it is still
important to regulate all the physiological
functions of our body.

It is recommended to ingest about 30 g/day

of fiber.
 DIETARY FIBER
- ease achieving feeling full after eating

- reduces the onset risk of some intestinal

diseases (example: diverticulosis of the colon)

- reduces some veins diseases (example: varices)

and chronic degenerative diseases (cancer,
diabetes and cardiovascular diseases)
 DIETARY FIBER
- INSOLUBLE FIBER
in whole wheat cereals and
vegetables.
It acts in the gastrointestinal
tract, delaying the gastric
emptying and making it
easier for bolus to get to
the intestine and for the exit
of feces.
 DIETARY FIBER
- SOLUBLE FIBER
in leguminous plants and fruits.
It forms some strong gels that control how specific
nutrients are absorbed (sugars and fats), lowering
and slowing down that absorption, helping controlling
the glucose
level and the
cholesterol
level in our
blood.
DIETARY FIBER
 LIPIDS
● cheeses
● butter
● margarine
● oil (coconut, palm tree)
● desserts with creams
● nuts and seeds
● chocolate
● avocado
● fatty meats and fish (salmon,
lard, sausages)
 LIPIDS
They are non-polar molecules insoluble in water.
They consist mainly of carbon and hydrogen.
The most common lipids are fats and oils: they consist
of glycerol linked to three fatty acids. The glycerol has
3 hydroxyl groups.
Between the 3 hydroxyl groups
and the 3 fatty acids, a ester bond
is formed through a condensation
reaction. Fatty acids contain
hydrocarbon chains that end in the
functional group –COOH.
 LIPIDS
Fats can be saturated (if they don’t have double
bonds, and they are from animals) or unsaturated (if
they have double bonds, and they are from plants).
In addition, fats are solid at room temperature and
oils are liquid at room temperature.
 LIPIDS
Other types of lipids:
- Phospholipids: form cell membranes with their
hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails;
- Carotenoids: a group of pigments that absorb
light in plants and animals (ex. they are
responsible for the color of the tomato or
pumpkins);
- Steroids: consist of a backbone of 4 fused carbon
rings (ex. cholesterol constitutes membranes,
other steroids function as hormones);
- Waxes: impermeable to water (ex. waterfowl
feathers);
 LIPIDS
• supply concentrated energy (9 calorie/g, more than
double of proteins and carbs)
• bring essential fatty acids of the omega-6 family
(linoleic acid) and of the omega-3 family (linolenic
acid)
• they favor the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
absorption and of carotenoids.
 LIPIDS
• make you feel full
• slow down the gastric emptying
• isolate and protect our body
• structure of cells membranes, hormones, nerve
sheath and vitamin D
 LIPIDS
All lipids are the same on an energy level, but they’re
very different on the quality of them. Their chemical
composition is very different, specially for fats acids that
can be saturated, unsaturated or trans.
The different quality of fats can have different
consequences on our health.
The quantity of lipids everyone has to ingest is different
for everyone, and it’s based on gender, age and
lifestyle.
An excessive ingestion of lipids can be a risk factor of
the onset of obesity, cardiovascular diseases and
cancer.
 CHOLESTEROL
ONLY IN ANIMAL ORIGINS FATS

Cholesterol is in our blood and in all our cells (where it

has some essential functions for our life).
Cholesterol inside foods can increase the
cholesterol level in our blood stream.
Cholesterol is transported in our blood through some
proteic substances called lipoproteins.
 CHOLESTEROL
LDL (“bad” cholesterol)
is deposited on the arteries’
walls creating arteriosclerosis.

LIPOPROTEINS

HDL (“good” cholesterol)

takes away cholesterol that was
deposited in our arteries
 PROTEINS

● lean meats – such as

beef, lamb and pork
● poultry – such as chicken,
turkey and duck
● seafood – such as fish,
shellfish, mussels,
oysters, scallops and
clams
● eggs
● dairy products – such as
milk, yogurt and cheese
 PROTEINS

They are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (same

as lipids and carbohydrates). They also contain nitrogen
and sulfur (and sometimes other elements are present
in little quantities).
They are made of monomers, called amino acids.
There are 20 different amino acids, 9 of them are called
“essential” because they’re not in our body so we have
to ingest them through the food we eat.
Based on where these amino acids are from, we can
divide proteins in animal proteins and in plant proteins.
 PROTEINS

Amino acids have 2 functional groups: an amino group

and a carboxylic group.
these two groups are linked to the same carbon which
takes the name of C alpha.
Alpha carbon is also bonded to a hydrogen and to a
side chain called Group R (= radical group, which can
vary).
 PROTEINS
The structure of a protein can be:
- primary: sequence of AA
- secondary: folding of the primary
structure thanks to hydrogen bonds;
mainly of 2 types: alpha helix and pleated
sheet
- tertiary: three-dimensional shape of a
polypeptide. This shape is the result of
interactions between the R groups of the
amino acids.
- quaternary: given by the interaction
between polypeptide chains.
 PROTEINS
Some factors, such as temperature and pH, can
influence the structure of a protein by modifying its
shape and function (=denaturation).
It is generally irreversible (only in the laboratory it can
be reversible), an example can be cooking an egg.
 PROTEINS
FUNCTIONS:
• PLASTIC: build and repair tissues
• BIO-REGULATORY: make enzymes, hormones
and neurotransmitters
• HOMEOSTATIC: maintaining a relatively constant
internal environment in an organism or a single cell
• IMMUNE: example: antibodies
• TRANSPORT: of triglycerides, cholesterol,
phospholipids, vitamins and minerals
 PROTEINS
High quality proteins contains essential amino acids in
optimal quantities, usually are proteins of animals
origin. However, it is not necessary to eat a lot of
proteins of animal origin, because our meal is
composed of different foods. These foods contain
different proteins so at the end we have ingested all the
essential ones.
 BREAKDOWN OF DAILY
CALORIES NEEDED

• CARBOHYDRATES 60%

• PROTEINS 15%

• LIPIDS 20 – 25%

• DIETARY FIBER 30 g/day

 VITAMINS
Vitamins are essential organic substances for the
proper functioning of the body.
Most plants are able to synthesize all the vitamins it
needs, while the human body can synthesize only a
few: the rest are "essential", in the sense that we
must introduce them through food.
If there is a lack of some vitamins for a prolonged
period of time, there can be diseases called
hypovitaminosis; for some vitamins, overdose
diseases can also occur.
 VITAMINS
Vitamins are divided into two groups according to their
solubility:

- fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, K)

- water-soluble vitamins (vitamin B, C)

 FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
They are absorbed with the lipids we eat, and
their absorption requires the presence of bile and
pancreatic juice.
They are transported to the liver, deposited in
various tissues of the body and are usually not
eliminated in the urine; for this reason they can
accumulate in the organism giving rise to toxic
manifestations.
 FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● VITAMIN A:
essential for the growth
and development of the
skeleton, soft tissues,
teeth, immunity, twilight
vision; it is found in liver,
eggs, milk and
derivatives, and can be
synthesized by the liver
from carotene contained
in green and yellow
vegetables
 FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● VITAMIN D:
essential for growth and
bone strength, it is found in
tuna, salmon, fish liver oil,
milk, egg yolk; it is
synthesized by the skin
thanks to UV rays.
 FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● VITAMIN E:
it prevents cell deterioration
due to free radicals; it is found
in vegetable oils, whole foods,
liver, green leafy vegetables,
nuts
 FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
● VITAMIN K:
essential for the synthesis of
proteins involved in blood
coagulation; it is synthesized in
our intestine by the bacterial
flora and is found in green
leafy vegetables, vegetables of
the cabbage family, fruit, milk
and derivatives, eggs, meat.
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Usually they are not accumulated in the body and
are eliminated in the urine, therefore they need a
daily intake to avoid deficiency phenomena.
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
• VITAMIN B:
involved in the metabolism
of carbs, lipids and
proteins; in the production
of hemoglobin and myelin;
in the synthesis of red
blood cells; in the
formation of genetic
material; in the production
of hormones and
regulatory substances of
the nervous system.
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
• VITAMIN C:
contributes to the
maintenance of bone
intactness, teeth, vessels
and collagen; controls the
excessive production of
free radicals; it is found in
many fruits and vegetables
such as citrus fruits,
tomatoes, strawberries, and
green leafy vegetables
 MINERAL SALTS
Minerals are classified according to how much they are
necessary; however, this does not reflect their
importance, since the deficiency of one mineral
needed in small doses may be more severe than that
of another whose needs are greater.
 MINERAL SALTS
• MACROELEMENTS (100 mg/day):
calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium,
potassium, chlorine, sulfur;

• MICROELEMENTS (smaller quantities):

iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iodine,
chromium, zinc, fluorine, cobalt, tin, nickel, selenium,
silicon;
 PARTICIPATE IN CELLULAR
VITAL PROCESSES
• formation of bones and teeth
• regulation of the biological characteristics
in organic liquids
• muscle and heart contraction
• nerve impulse transmission
• oxygen transport in the blood
• immune activity
 MINERAL SALTS
If introduced in excessive quantities they can be toxic
and prevent the absorption of other minerals.
In having a varied diet that includes all food groups,
diseases related to their deficiency are rare.
 TEENAGE
Teenage is a period of life characterized by
profound physical, hormonal, psychological and
personality changes that can often cause
changes in eating behavior.
It is a delicate phase in which the teenager
aspires to independence, wishes to affirm their
new personality and autonomy, and in which
discomforts and fears are created that can be
reflected in a conflictual relationship with food
and with their body.
 TEENAGE
Teenage is the age in which children begin to
detach themselves and want to become
independent from their parents and for this reason
they believe that the rules, even nutrition ones,
must necessarily be changed or at least
questioned!
Friends and the lifestyle suggested by social
media and TV become a model and a goal to be
achieved. Teenage thus becomes the period of
food rebellion.
 TEENAGE
Numerous studies show that eating habits learned
during this stage of life can affect present and
future health, and the prevalence of eating
disorders developed in teenage years tend to
persist into adulthood.
In fact, a correct diet means: future, health and
conscious choice.
 CORRECT NUTRITION
• Future:
today's balanced diet affects tomorrow's health and
eating habits.
• Health:
while the genetic predisposition (such as having
green eyes or being short) is independent of our
will, maintaining an adequate weight and doing
daily physical activity depends on us and affects our
health.
• Conscious choice:
diet isn’t made up of an unpleasant set of
prohibitions. It is the result of knowledge and
convictions
 TEENAGE
The rapid growth of the body weight that
adolescents are experiencing requires high
amounts of energy and nutrients.
Particularly important for this age is being able to
guarantee the right quantities of proteins,
minerals (especially iron and calcium) and
vitamins (in particular vitamin C, D and the B
complex).
 TEENAGE
The protein requirement in developmental age is
much higher than that of adults, passing from
about 1 gr/kg of body weight/day in three-year-old
children to 0.9 gr/kg of body weight/day in
teenagers, to then be reduced to 0.8 in the adult.
 IRON
As far as minerals are concerned, particular
attention should be paid to iron. At this age, the
need is high for rapid growth in height and weight
and for the onset of menstruation in girls.
It is an essential mineral for many biological
functions: it becomes part of many enzymatic
systems; so in the event of insufficient intake, the
ability to concentrate and physical efficiency are
reduced to the point of developing anemia, easier
in adolescent girls than not take the right
quantities.
 IRON
Between 11 and 17
years old:
• 12 mg/day for males
• 18 mg/day for females
 CALCIUM
Along with iron, calcium is also a fundamental
mineral in this phase of life.
Calcium is the mineral that the human body is
richest in. For 99% it is localized in the bone, the
remaining is distributed in the blood and muscles.
Calcium is very important because it constitutes
the scaffolding of the skeleton and teeth and
because it is indispensable in many biochemical
reactions that regulate the life and activity of
cells.
 CALCIO
CALCIUM
Between 11 and 17 years old, for both males
and females, is recommended to ingest 1200
mg of calcium each day.
 CALCIUM
In fact, about 45% of the final bone mass is
formed in adolescence. In particular, girls who do
not achieve good bone mineralization during
adolescence have a higher risk of developing
osteoporosis during menopause.
The major dietary source of calcium is
represented by milk and its derivatives.
PHOSPHORUS AND VITAMIN D
Not only calcium is needed for good bone
mineralization, but also phosphorus and vitamin D.
Vitamin D is essential for intestinal absorption of
calcium.
 VITAMIN D
This vitamin is present in small quantities in some
foods (vegetables, fish liver, milk, butter, eggs),
but our main "supplier" of vitamin D is the sun.
In fact, ultraviolet rays activate a precursor of the
vitamin in the skin which is stored in the liver and
used when necessary.
Exposing yourself to sunlight every day (taking a
walk or physical activity outdoors) protects against
any deficiencies in vitamin D and promotes, with
movement, the fixation of calcium in the bones.
VITAMIN D
 TEENAGE
The propensity to follow certain food trends just
because it is "fashionable" can lead to the exclusion
from the diet of certain foods such as meat and fish
(excellent sources of iron) or milk and its derivatives
(excellent sources of calcium), thus making it more
complicated to cover the aforementioned needs.
Trending nutrition Nutrition
habits mistakes
• fast food • skipping breakfast
• binge drinking • lack of ingestion of
• restrictive dietary fruits and vegetables
regimes • not splitting up the
• elimination diets for meals of the day
alleged intolerances adequately
• excessive ingestion of
sugary drinks
 BREAKFAST
Skipping breakfast and not splitting up the meals of
the day adequately are fairly common habits among
teens.
Not having enough time for a good breakfast and
poor morning appetite of boys are the reasons most
implicated in the omission of this meal, which leads
the teen to become hungry during the early hours of
the morning, prompting him to consume easily
available snacks, excessively caloric, high in fat, in
particularly saturated, salt and / or simple sugars.
 BREAKFAST
It has been shown that eating breakfast, in addition
to appeasing the feeling of hunger, prevents the
development of many chronic-degenerative
diseases in adulthood, regardless of lifestyle and
body mass index.
 BREAKFAST
While maintaining the optimal ratios of all main
meals (60% carbohydrates, 10-15% proteins and
25-30% lipids), breakfast can be varied as desired.
A correct breakfast must include: milk or yogurt,
bread or whole grains or baked goods, fruit or
juice.
To increase the risk of developing early diabetes,
high blood pressure, insulin resistance and many
other diseases, there is also the habit of adolescents
not to consume the recommended daily amounts of
fruits and vegetables, decreasing the intake of fiber
and antioxidants.
In 2004, the WHO estimated that 2.4% of diseases
were attributable to the low intake of fruit and
vegetables, which is, together with physical inactivity,
among the ten modifiable risk factors for onset of
cardiovascular diseases.
Useful tip:
To make vegetables and
vegetables appreciated,
you can prepare them, as
well as as a side dish,
also as a first course,
together with cereals, or
inserted in meat and fish
loafs. It is good to
alternate cooked and raw
vegetables.
 EATING WITH FRIENDS
Especially for teenagers,
eating together is a lot of
fun and reinforces the
sense of belonging to the
group. However, it is good
to remember that
fast-food is not the
place for "snacks", but
replaces a meal.
 EATING WITH FRIENDS
Teens should learn to:
• don’t choose foods that are too
rich in proteins and fats.
• remember that sodas contain a
high amount of added sugar,
caffeine or alcohol.
• don’t add more salt to
prepared dishes.
• order some side vegetables.
• consume sauces in
moderation.
 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Functions:
• ingestion: act of taking in
food and drink into the body
• digestion breakdown:
chemical digestion and
mechanical digestion
• absorption: nutrient
molecules are absorbed
into the bloodstream
• elimination: ridding the body
of undigested food waste
 MOUTH
The mouth takes food into the body.
It is composed of skeletal muscle and its function is
forming the bolus.
Parts:
• teeth: chew food
• roof of the mouth: hard and soft
palate, to not get the food in the
nasal cavity
• tonsils: protect against infections
• salivary glands: produce saliva
to moisturize the mouth, and the
enzyme salivary amylase to
digest starch
 PHARYNX
The pharynx is a passageway that receives air from
the nasal cavities and food from the mouth.

Swallowing occurs here:

• the soft palate moves back to close off the
nasopharynx
• the trachea moves up under the epiglottis to
cover the opening to the larynx
• food enters the epiglottis
 ESOPHAGUS
The pharynx is a long muscular tube that moves the
food from the mouth to the stomach by rhythmic
muscular contractions called peristalsis.
 STOMACH
The stomach mechanically and chemically digest food.
Its walls have folds called rugae to help it expand.
Functions:
• storage of meal
• mechanical digestion:
squeezing food
• chemical digestion: enzymes to
breakdown molecules
• protection against germs
It produces a hormone called gastin that stimulate the
gastric glands to secrete more gastric juice. It also
produce an enzyme called pepsin to convert proteins into
peptides.
 SMALL INTESTINE
The small intestine break down macromolecules and
absorbs them.
Parts:
• duodenum
• jejunum
• ileum
It contains villi, which increase the surface area to
improve the absorption of nutrients.
It produces the enzyme maltase to convert maltose into
glucose, and peptidases to break down peptides into
amino acids.
The duodenum produces the hormones secretin and CCK
that stimulate the pancreas to secrete pancreatic juice
and the gall bladder to secrete bile.
 PANCREAS
The pancreas produces pancreatic juice and
digestive enzymes.
It produces the enzyme pancreatic amylase to
convert maltose into glucose.
It produces also trypsin to break down peptides into
amino acids.
It produces the enzyme lipase to digest fats
molecules.
It also secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon
to regulate blood glucose levels.
 LIVER
The liver contains 100000 lobules that serve as its
structural and functional units.

Main structures:
• bile duct: takes bile away from the liver
• hepatic artery branch: brings oxygen-rich blood
to the liver
• hepatic portal vein: transports nutrients from the
intestines
 GALL BLADDER
The gall bladder is a muscular sac attached to the
surface of the liver.

It stores the excess bile from the liver.

When bile leaves the gall bladder through the bile

duct, it goes to the duodenum.

Bile emulsifies fat to prepare it for further

breakdown by digestive enzymes.
 LARGE INTESTINE
The small intestine absorbs water, salts and
vitamins. It also stores indigestible materials before
it is eliminated.
Parts:
• cecum: with
appendix
• colon: ascending,
transversal,
descending and
sigmoid
• rectum
• anus
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• Regular physical exercise is a protective factor
against overweight, obesity and cardiovascular
diseases.
• Over 40% of young Americans are physically active
for less than two hours a week. It has been
estimated that among young people only 35% meet
the recommended physical activity criteria.
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
When doing intense physical activity the nutritional
needs that must be respected if you want to reach your
goal of performance or improvement of physical fitness
are:
• having sufficient energy stores in the muscles
and liver
• being able to repair the damage the muscles
sustain and synthesizing new amino acids.
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Having sufficient energy stores in the muscles and liver
is necessary to be able to sustain high work intensities
and to recover quickly. These are provided by
glycogen which derives from the intake of
carbohydrates in the diet.
Muscles can strengthen themselves after a workout
only if it can repair the damage it sustains and
synthesize new muscle proteins. To do this, we need a
sufficient supply of amino acids that derive from the
proteins we take with food.
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Of course not all carbohydrates and not all proteins are
the same. The ideal strategy is to have a real meal
with whole grains, lean proteins and vegetables 2-3
hours before a workout. Shortly before training, you
can take sugars from a snack of fruit or dried fruit with
a simple protein food such as yogurt. Immediately after
training we can repeat the strategy in reverse.
Immediately after a fruit and maybe some dried fruit or
again a small yogurt and after a couple of hours a meal
with whole grains, proteins and vegetables.
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
If you are used to training in the evening, it is not
possible to exactly respect these times. Then you can
take the complete meal of whole grains, proteins and
vegetables at lunch, around 1.00pm/2.00pm; snack
on fresh and dried fruit both before and after training;
to then have dinner already half an hour later, always
with a full meal (without waiting for the ideal two hours
as recommended above).
Before training, it is a good idea to wait at least one
hour after breakfast and at least 2-3 after the main
meals.
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Systematically following these tips can lead to two
advantages:
• improving the athlete's physical capacity and
technical ability
• allowing them to acquire correct habits from which
to benefit over time
 What to eat before training?
Eating something an hour before
training will help the training itself.
The ideal would be to choose fresh
fruit, and an energy/sports drink.
Three to four hours before training,
you can eat something more
substantial, like pasta with tomato
sauce.
Things to absolutely avoid? Fatty
and fried foods, and alcohol.
 What to eat after training?
In the 30-45 minutes after training,
especially if aerobic and prolonged, it’s
better to eat fruit, protein bars or carbs
in liquid form (fruit juices): this will help
restore the glycogen consumed during
training.
Protein bars can be helpful, but the ratio
should be 1:4 related to carbohydrates; in
fact, an excess of proteins taken in the
immediate post-workout negatively
impacts both rehydration and the
restoration of glycogen stores.
 Hydration during workout
Drink at least three glasses of water
2-3 hours prior to training and one
glass of water every 10-15 minutes
after training for one hour.
Sports drinks are useful if the training
lasts more than 60 minutes and the
intensity is high. For very long
workouts, drinking a sports drink during
the workout can help increase the
duration of the workout.
 EXAMPLE OF DAILY
NUTRITION
Breakfast:
• 250ml semi-skimmed milk or
200ml low-fat yogurt
• 40g cereals (corn flakes)
• 4 rusks
• 40g jam (4 teaspoons)
 EXAMPLE OF DAILY
NUTRITION
Snack:
• 3 biscuits
• fruit
 EXAMPLE OF DAILY
NUTRITION
Lunch:
• 100g pasta or rice or
other cereal
• 100g chicken or fish
• vegetables
• two tablespoons of
olive oil
 EXAMPLE OF DAILY
NUTRITION
Snack: OR
• a banana • 125 ml low-fat fruit yogurt
• a handful of dried fruit • 3 rice cakes or 3
tablespoons of cereals
• fruit
 EXAMPLE OF DAILY
NUTRITION
Dinner:
• 150g chicken or 200g
fish or 50g of dried
legumes (or 150g if
fresh)
• vegetables
• two tablespoons of
olive oil
• 90g of bread or
equivalent
 SLEEPING
The average amount of sleep an adult should have is
around 8 hours each night.

Sleep deprivation has many bad effects on us. Other

than health risks, it is also one of the main causes of
car accidents.
 SLEEPING
Effects of good sleep:
• lower body weight
• more concentration and productivity
• better athletic performance
• stronger heart
• lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• lower risk of depression
• improved immune function
• decreased inflammation
• good mood
• better memory
• better creativity
• slower aging process
 LOWER BODY WEIGHT
If you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces
ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite. Your
body also decreases the production of leptin, a
hormone that tells you you’re full.
This can be dangerous
for late-night snacking.
 CONCENTRATION AND
PRODUCTIVITY
Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function,
such as cognition, concentration, productivity, and
performance.

Good sleep improves problem-solving skills and

enhance memory performance.

Sleep-deprived people have a 50% slower response

time and a lower accuracy rate on simple tasks than
someone who is under the influence of alcohol.
 ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Longer sleep: improve speed, accuracy, reaction
times, and mental well-being.

Poor sleep: slower walking, lack of strength and power,

and greater difficulty performing independent activities.
 STRONG HEART
Lack of sleep can cause your body to release cortisol,
a stress hormone that triggers your heart to work
harder.
Not getting enough sleep can lead to heart health
problems like high blood pressure or heart attacks.
PREVENTS TYPE 2 DIABETES
Sleep restriction affects blood sugar and lowers
insulin sensitivity.

When you become more insulin resistant, lipids

circulate in your blood and pump out more insulin.

This excess insulin ends up storing fat in wrong places,

such as the liver. This way, people get overweight and
suffer from diseases like diabetes.
 PREVENTS DEPRESSION
90% of depressed people have problems sleeping.
Mental health issues, such as depression and
suicidal thoughts, are strongly linked to poor sleep
quality and sleeping disorders (insomnia, obstructive
sleep apnea).
 IMMUNE FUNCTION
When you’re sleeping, your immune cells and proteins
get the rest they need to fight off colds and the flu.
Restorative functions in the body such as tissue
repair, muscle growth, and protein synthesis occur
almost only during sleep.
While sleeping, the immune system releases proteins
called cytokines, that promote sleep. Certain
cytokines need to increase when you have an
infection or inflammation, or when you’re under
stress. However, sleep deprivation may decrease the
production of these protective cytokines.
 SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Sleep loss reduces your ability to interact socially. Poor
sleep affects the ability to recognize important social
cues and process emotional information, like
expressions of anger and happiness. Lack of sleep can
bring out a whole range of negative thoughts.

Having a healthy mental and emotional health depends

largely on how well you sleep.
 MEMORY
While sleeping, the brain processes and consolidates
memories from the day. Sleeping after practicing a
skill, makes the centers of the brain that control speed
and accuracy more active. Memories and skills are
shifted to more efficient and permanent brain regions,
making for higher proficiency the next day. Sleep also
helps us synthesize new ideas. Pieces of knowledge can
be pulled together from different experiences and parts
of the brain to create new concepts.
 CREATIVITY
REM sleep, or rapid eye movement sleep, actually
contributes tremendously in making people become
more creative.
REM sleep seems to spark solutions to new creative
problems better than any other stage of sleep.
 SLOW AGING PROCESS
Sleep deprivation has adverse effects on skin aging,
such as fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced
skin elasticity. Good quality sleep also quickens the
recovery process from stressors to the skin, such
as sun and environmental toxins.