Introduction
Welcome: Food for Thought
Welcome to Nutrition and Wellness I. Your reasons for enrolling in this course are as varied and unique as you are. Maybe you enjoy cooking or helping out in the kitchen, or maybe you want to learn how to make healthier food choices while juggling a busy schedule, or perhaps you’re a vegetarian or vegan looking to make sure you have adequately covered all your nutritional needs. Regardless of your reasons for choosing this course, you will gain valuable information that can be used throughout your life.
The lessons in this course will explore current research in the area of nutrition and wellness. You will gain a basic knowledge of nutrients and how they work in our bodies, which will better prepare you to evaluate nutritional claims made in advertisements, newscasts, online magazines, and other media. You will become familiar with advances in technology and the impact science and technology have on the food supply.
By the time most of us reach our teen years, we have experienced the food customs of other parts of the country and possibly even the world. This course will help you take a critical look at alternative diets and evaluate their nutritive values.
In our drive-through, hurry-up world, we have often forgotten to enjoy our meals and to practice proper etiquette. In this course you will learn acceptable rules of etiquette, which will enable you to meet expected standards of behavior in both social settings and business settings.
Did you know that medical experts say that most of us have experienced foodborne illness at some time in our lives by the time we reach adulthood? Because the symptoms vary from mild to severe, many of us thought we had a “bug” and didn’t even seek medical attention. This course will help you better understand safe food-handling practices. Whether you practice these only in your daily life or as part of your occupation, having this knowledge can prevent misery for yourself and possibly others.
Maybe you chose to take this course because you have started watching some of the many food preparation television shows popular today. In addition to giving you basic knowledge to start your adventures in cooking, this course will also allow you to look at ways to express your creativity.
Perhaps you have never visited a farm or even seen a garden. Most of us today purchase rather than grow our own food. Did you know that the demand for organic food right now far outweighs the supply? Because of our concerns about the additives in purchased food, the interest in naturally grown foods has expanded tremendously.
While I can vividly remember both my grandmothers growing, processing, and home canning many foods when I was young, my own parents cut back on that practice considerably. I have to admit that I have only canned jellies and jams. And I’m sure my son would start shopping for a nursing home for me if I even suggested he learn home canning! Yet basic knowledge of food preservation can extend the edible life of homegrown foods that typically have more nutritive value and definitely have a better flavor than purchased preserved foods.
The lessons in this course will introduce you to the various topics, help you explore new terms and concepts, and finally ask you to apply knowledge gained through the assignments. Some assignments will allow you to choose one of several possible activities. Ideally this course would have a lab component, but since it is an independent study course, that cannot be mandated. However, opportunities will be provided for you if you are “hands-on” and wish to apply what you are learning. In addition, the textbook contains delicious recipes that you are welcome to try out.
Whatever your reasons are for enrolling in this course, I hope you will find it informative, practical, and especially useful in your own life. You may decide that you need to make some dietary changes to better secure your future health. Or you may pat yourself on the back when you discover that you aren’t doing so badly in the eating area after all!
