TYPES OF FOOD AND THE VALUE OF HEALTHY EATING ON WELL BEING: A STUDY

A strong body means physical strength which has a positive impact on our personality and translates into a feeling of holistic well being. Man needs three basic things for survival: food, shelter and clothing. Nutrition is important. Eating a balanced diet is vital for good health and well being. Food provides our body with energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals. These in turn help us to grow, live and function properly. Health is wealth goes a popular saying. We need a variety of food to provide the right amount of nutrients for gaining good physical and mental health (NHMRC). Food is the source of all our bodily functions and directly affects our body and mind functions in every stage of life. Healthy food helps in disease prevention, maintenance of healthy weight, provides energy and impacts our quality of life (Sushant, 2015). The purpose of the present study is to understand the importance of good values of eating such as good eating habits, avoidance of junk food, maintenance of personal and environmental cleanliness, regular exercise and safety and their direct impact on personality development and overall well being. A detailed study was done of various secondary sources of data available on importance of food and its impact on overall well being, including a study of the Bhagwat Gita, which mentions various types of food desired by individuals according to their inherent tendencies. The findings from the study indicate that imbibing values of healthy eating such as eating healthy and hygienic food, eating food on time, doing regular exercise, following safety and security measures all have a direct impact on holistic well being. The personality also gets enhanced and a person feels good about himself and the world. Hence, there is a felt need to create awareness about healthy eating habits, need for regular sacrifice, maintenance of cleanliness and following safety measures among learners especially at the primary and secondary level thereby promoting holistic development for the youth.