Animal and Human Nutrition: Why It Is Important to Longevity of Life and Health

From food, all creatures draw out nutrients necessary for survival and strength. In the wild, animals adapt to the diet engrained in their instincts—herbivores eat vegetation, carnivores eat meat, and omnivores eat both. The longevity of the health and life of humans and animals depends on the food quality they eat.
 

Humans are fortunate enough to understand the biology behind the foods that creatures eat. From research, science, and years of experimentation, doctors and vets have found suitable foods that benefit humans and animals. They have discovered the nutrients that are key to good health and those that help increase longevity.

What Is Nutrition?

Nutrition is the science of food that studies nutrients and how the body uses them. It extends into the impact of nutrients on health and susceptibility to disease. Doing it all is a nutritionist, a doctor who utilizes knowledge from biology and genetics to understand how different nutrients affect different bodies. 
 

From their knowledge, nutritionists can develop diet plans to help patients with specific conditions. They can tailor diets to improve the body's physiology, like growing more mass or fat. They understand what happens when certain nutrients are lacking in the diet of an animal or human being. 

How Does Nutrition Affect Health?

Poor nutrition is directly related to weak immunity and susceptibility to diseases. While the immune system is not solely influenced by nutrition, much of it is. Moreover, the other aspects of nutrition, like exercise and low stress, are also affected by nutrition. 

Immunity

The body is constantly bombarded by pathogens in the air and the environment. Because of this, the body has developed two main types of immunity. 
 

• Innate Immunity
   

This is the primary defense against pathogens in the environment that can cause damage and disease to the body. Innate immunity comprises protective barriers preventing these pathogens from entering the body. They include the following:
 

• The skin

• Mucus

• Stomach acid

• Enzymes in tears and sweat create antibacterial substances

• The immune system that attacks foreign organisms entering the body

• Acquired or Adaptive Immunity
   

This is a much more intelligent form of immunity that usually adapts to every pathogen it encounters. This immune system allows vaccines to work in humans and animals. 

How Does Nutrition Affect Longevity?

Some diets and foods can lead to disease development in humans and animals. Other diets will lead to a healthier body and fewer chances of developing disease. In humans and animals, diets rich in processed foods will lead to shorter lifespans. The shorter lifespans occur due to fatal conditions like heart disease and cancer. 
 

Meanwhile, diets rich in natural foods usually lead to longer lifespans. These foods contain the necessary nutrients that allow the body to function as it should. It keeps the organs functioning well for much longer than processed alternatives.
 

For more on why animal and human nutrition is important to the longevity of life and health, visit Holzworth Chiropractic at our office in San Jose, California. Call 408-497-7735 to book an appointment today.