Wellness is an ongoing process. Each day you make choices that affect your wellness. The goal is to make good choices that strengthen each wellness factor. Keep in mind that sometimes one factor may be lower than others. Other times, that factor may improve and other factors may drop. If a factor is low or drops off and fails to bounce back, talk with your teachers, parents, or doctor. They can help you find ways to cope with the drop and build it up again. The key to wellness is to work hard every day to improve each factor. Food affects your wellness in many ways because it is your source of energy and nutrients. Nutrients are the materials needed to build and renew all parts of your body. Each day, your body uses nutrients to build a little bit of muscle, skin, and every other part of your body. Nutrients help you grow and replace old, worn-out cells. This is how some of the food you eat today becomes part of you tomorrow. Nutrients are also involved in many different processes in the body and provide the energy you need to work and play (Figure 1.2). The best foods to eat are the ones that add up to a nutritious diet. A diet is all the foods and beverages you consume. Diet is sometimes called an eating pattern. A nutritious diet or healthy eating pattern provides all the energy and nutrients you need in the amounts you need. It helps you grow normally. It also helps you build strong muscles, solid bones, and healthy skin. In other words, a nutritious diet provides enough energy and nutrients to nourish all parts of your body. Which foods are part of a nutritious diet? You can find the answer to this question by studying nutrition and food science. Nutrition is the study of nutrients and how the body uses them. Food science is the study of how foods change chemically through natural processes or when they are prepared or stored. As you read this book, you will learn about nutrition and food science. You will also discover how your favorite foods can be part of a nutritious diet. The Jobs Nutrients Perform in Your Body Build and replace muscle, skin, and other parts of your body Regulate body processes such as breathing, digesting food, and making cells Supply energy so you can work and play Figure 1.2 Food is not only enjoyable to eat, but it also performs serious work in the body. Adventures in Food and Nutrition Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 6