How the human body burns calories

Each day the average adult human body burns roughly 2,300 calories. This is considered Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) BMR is the amount energy the body expend, while at rest on a daily basis.

If a man consume 3,000 calories for example, the body will burn the 2,3000 calories it needs and stores the remaining 700 as fat.

Homeostasis, body temperature regulation, central nervous system function, hormone and chemical production and electrolyte balance, as swell as every day function needed for life, are part of the resting metabolic rate.

The higher the metabolic rate the more calories the body burns and the easier it is to maintain a healthy bodyweigth and composition. The human body burns calories in two ways.

The first way is through involuntary activate, such as the beating of the heart, the inhaling of oxygen and maintanance of body temperature.

The second is through voluntary activities such as exercising and moving around throughout the day.

Another larger user energy is the thermal effect of feeding (TEF), or the amount of calories needed to eat, digest and distribute food fuels.

This requirements varies with the type of food digested as well as with the body composition of then individual.
How the human body burns calories

Factors Affecting Nutrition During Pregnancy

Factors Affecting Nutrition During Pregnancy
Many women will experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. The nausea can result from an accumulation of gastric acid in the stomach and can be alleviated by eating small amounts of food every 3 – 4 hours. Some women also benefit from eating dry toast or crackers, especially if they are nauseous when they first wake up in the morning. It is also important to consider avoiding eating food and drinking fluids at the same time. Toward the end of the pregnancy, many women will experience a return of nausea, which is often attributed to decreased gastric peristalsis. Again, eating small meals frequently may be helpful. Women need to have a good source of bulk in their diet and to maintain exercise at an appropriate level.

During pregnancy, women need to eat a well balance diet that has sufficient calories and represents a variety of food groups. They need to be encouraged to maintain a healthy diet and sufficient exercise throughout pregnancy. Inappropriate weight gain can place the newborn at greater risk for infection, illness, disabilities, and even death. Some women experience pica (persistent eating of foods that have not nutrient value). Pica behavior may lessen the nutritional level of the mother and her fetus since the mother may not eat nutritious foods in sufficient quantity, which can lead to poor weight gain, low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. Also, the substance that the woman is eating may have harmful effects to the maternal fetal unit.

Women who drink 2 – 3 cups of coffee each day have a daily caffeine intake about 300 mg. Caffeine decreases the absorption of iron, which has a direct effect in the maternal fetal unit. During pregnancy, caffeine decreases the blood flow through the placenta and also increases the risk of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester. Caffeine consumption during pregnancy may lead to caffeine withdrawal symptoms in new born.

Aspartame (found in some artificial sweeteners) contains the amino acid phenylalanine and should be avoided by pregnant women because high levels of phenylalanine can lead to impaired fetal brain development and result in mental retardation. Women need over the counter products that may contain phenylalanine.
Factors Affecting Nutrition During Pregnancy